Wayker
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Chapter 34: Regret just made the world darker
🕑 Added 2025-06-30 16:51:28 +0000 UTCCynthia let out a sigh as her number one fan stared up at her with wide, pleading eyes, more like a scolded Eevee than a kid asking for a favor.
âNo.â she said flatly, her immunity to that exact gaze way beyond what Oliver could produce.
Oliver pouted, gaze dropping to the dirt.
âWhy not? You can handle itâŠâ he mumbled.
Beside her, Myst gave a noncommittal shrug.
âMaybe,â he admitted, âbut weâre not going to take the chance.â He paused, his usual casual tone sharpening just enough to show he was serious. âAnd honestly, helping you catch a PokĂ©mon right now would send the wrong message about what pulling a stunt like that gets you.â
Oliver flinched and shrank a little at Mystâs words. âButâbutâŠâ
Gracie, not Grace, grabbed his arm before he could dig himself any deeper.
âI told you this was a bad idea, Oliver. Please. Donât.â she said, voice catching just enough to make it clear she was close to crying again.
Oliver glanced at her, then at Myst, then back to Gracie. His expression twisted from hopeful to downright gloomy. He dropped his gaze again, muttering a reluctant, âFine.â
Cynthia shook her head and turned to Myst. âYou ready then?â
He started to nod, his hand drifting toward Naviâs PokĂ© Ball at his side, then hesitated.
She raised an eyebrow. âWhat?â
Myst didnât answer right away. His gaze had shifted toward the tunnel wall, where the PokĂ©mon that had chased Oliver lay slumped. Without a word, he stepped over and crouched down beside it, eyes narrowing as he examined it more closely.
âYou know, how did it even end up here?â he asked slowly. âItâs not native to Sinnoh, right?â
Cynthia followed, leaning over his shoulder to get a better look. The Pokémon was bipedal, striped brown and black, with a broad snout and a large, round pink belly. Familiar, vaguely, but not familiar enough. The name sat just out of reach, like a memory half-remembered.
⊠Which, frankly, meant Myst was probably right. Sheâd memorized the entire Sinnoh PokĂ©dex by the time she was five, if it had been local, sheâd have recognized it in an instant.
âSo?â she prompted, crouching beside him. She slid her hand gently over its scales, dry and smooth, better suited for sand than rough stone.
âKrokorok,â Myst said at last. âGround-Dark type. Itâs from Unova, usually travels in small packs.â
He paused again, frowning.
âIâm guessing this is one of those PokĂ©mon Byron mentioned, the ones that lived down there,â he added, stressing the two last words with pointed emphasis.
Cynthia gave him a questioning look, but he only tilted his head subtly toward the three kids theyâd rescued, who were doing a terrible job of pretending not to eavesdrop.
Ah.
She nodded slowly.
âI mean⊠yeah. That would make sense. Otherwise, Iâd say it was probably a PokĂ©mon someone released.â
Myst shot her a disbelieving look. âSomeone from Unova, coming all the way out here, just to release a Krokorok into an abandoned mine?â
Cynthia lifted her hands in mock surrender.
âHey, I didnât say it was likely.â
Myst exhaled, shaking his head. âLetâs just go with it being from down thereâŠâ He glanced deeper into the tunnels, then his voice dropped to barely a murmur. âI guess that means one of the biomes Byron talked about is a desertâŠâ He shook his head, baffled. âA desert underground. How would that even work?â
Cynthia let her eyes drift back over the Krokorok, then forced herself to look away, toward the children.
They smiled at her nervously.
âMyst,â she said firmly, snapping him out of it. He glanced towards her, and without needing any further prompting, understood what she meant.
âGood point. First things first.â
Myst unclipped Naviâs PokĂ© Ball and, with a flick of his wrist, sent her out. The little Ralts appeared in a brief shimmer of light, horn glinting orange as she scanned the kids with a steady, serious expression.
âRalts?â she said, without even missing a beat.
I thought there would be more?
âThey got separated,â Cynthia explained. âByron and Johanna went after the rest.â
Navi nodded firmly.
âRalts.â She said firmly.
I am ready.
Cynthia turned back to Myst. âWell, whoâs going with her?â
Myst blinked. âWhat do you mean, who? Weâre all going, right?â
Cynthia shook her head. âI donât think we should. Like Byron said, teleportation isnât dangerous, but if you donât have enough power, you could leave someone behind. Not that I think itâd happen with only five people, but youâve never tested it with that many before, have you?â
Myst pursed his lips at that.
âWell⊠no, not with this many, but Iâm pretty confident,â he said, glancing toward Navi for backup.
âRalts!â
I can do it!
Navi puffed her cheeks at Cynthiaâs doubt, glaring in her own tiny way. Cynthia almost laughed, but still forced herself to explain.
âItâs not about whether you can,â she began gently, âitâs about minimizing risk. If Myst or I get left behind, thatâs fine. But if we lose one of the kids? Thatâs not worth gambling on.â
Myst opened his mouth, hesitated, then tilted his head.
âI mean, I guess I can see that. But then shouldnât we just send them up with Navi? Teleporting four people is something we actually have tested, and itâs not like we need to be there with them or anything. The entrance has to be crawling with people by now.â
Cynthia considered that.
It was a good point.
If Navi somehow accidently left behind Gracie or Camron, that would be bad, but it wasnât exactly a crisis.
But Oliver?
Cynthia let her eyes glanced towards him.
Oliver stood shivering slightly in a torn T-shirt, covered in scrapes and bruises, cradling his arm in a way that suggested it wasnât broken, but badly hurt. He let out a grimace, face slowly turning pale as the adrenaline that had kept him going faded from his system. A moment ago, Gracie had leaned on him for support, but now he was gripping her hand like a lifeline.
She almost wanted to send him up alone.
She took a deep breath, shaking that thought away. That would waste Naviâs energy. Just because she wasnât sure about five didnât mean she doubted Navi could manage four. After all, Teleport was designed to get trainers out of caves, and Navi was hardly weakâŠ
In the end, Myst was right, priority was getting the kids out. Escorting one or two out by hand wouldnât be impossible, but it was riskier. And while Myst and Navi seemed confident, Cynthia knew better than to treat long-range Teleport casually.
Which, honestly, brought them back to just sending the kids and Navi up.
She sighed.
âOkay. Letâs do that. Navi takes the kids.â
Myst turned to Navi at her words.
âWell? What are you waiting for?â
Navi didnât hesitate. Before any of the kids could even protest, she walked over, grabbing Oliver and Camronâs hands. Then she paused, glanced back, and chirped,
âRalts ralts!â
Iâll be back, donât leave!
âŠ
Myst leaned back against the tunnel wall, eyes flicking to the fainted Krokorok again, as if making sure it stayed down. Cynthia wasnât fooled; his gaze kept darting back to her, like he wanted to say something but kept swallowing the words.
She broke the silence first. âYouâre thinking about something,â she said, aiming for casual.
From the way Myst snapped his head up, she hadnât pulled it off. He stared at her for a moment, then sighed, mumbling something too soft to catch.
She frowned, about to press, but he spoke first.
âJustâŠâ he hesitated.
âJust what?â
He glanced away, then back at her.
âWhat?â she repeated.
He tilted his head. âAre you the type to get hangry?â
For a second Cynthia just stared at him.
Then she glared.
âWhat kind of question is that? Myst, youâve been glancing at me for five minutes, looking like you were about to say something, of course Iâm going to be curious!â
He cracked a small grin, and her irritation faltered.
She sighed, resisting the urge to facepalm. âSeriously. What is it?â
Myst smiled for a few more seconds, before it slowly dropped, and he let out a sigh. âThis⊠doesnât it remind you of something?â
Cynthia took a second to follow his train of thought, but before she could figure out what he meant he gestured toward the Krokorok.
âRare PokĂ©mon from Unova,â he said, then gestured toward the tunnel they had come from, âan egg and a parent whoâŠâ
Oh.
She cut him off. âI get it.â
Myst shrugged slightly. âI mean, we havenât really talked much about it. Not about Zoroark, or⊠you know.â
Cynthia ran a hand over Queenieâs scales, feeling the comforting weight of her partnerâs head resting across her lap.
Yeah, he was right in that. They hadnât really talked⊠Not about the important parts, anyway. Sure, theyâd gone over tactics, what went wrong, what theyâd do next time. But about Zoroark? About the egg?
Her eyes drifted to Mystâs backpack, propped against the tunnel wall.
âThen, have you thought about it?â she asked quietly. âWhat to do?â
Myst shook his head. âNot really. Honestly, it doesnât feel like it should be my choice, you know?â
She didnât move her gaze. âWhat, you think Iâd have a better idea?â
He looked surprised. âI figured youâd be the one to take it.â
Cynthia felt her shoulders stiffen, shooting him a wary look. âWhy would you think that?â
âI mean⊠I donât exactly know how to take care of an egg,â Myst admitted, letting out a small, bitter laugh. âMy brain just says you hatch one by⊠walking around with it.â
Cynthia folded her arms. âWell, you think I know what to do?â she shot back.
Myst raised a single eyebrow.
She flushed, looking away. Okay, fine, she did know, at least, apparently, more than him. But that didnât mean she should be the one to take care of it. Taking care of an egg, wasnât exactly rocket science. He could easily learn.
Myst sighed. âIf neither of us wants to, shouldnât we just⊠give it up for adoption? Benkara mentioned that, right?â
Cynthia dug her fingers into Queenieâs scales, drawing a low, comforting rumble from her partner.
âAdoption sucks,â she said, her voice tight. âEspecially for rare PokĂ©mon. It always turns into a mess, with too many people fighting over itâŠâ She trailed off, biting the inside of her cheek.
On some level, she honestly wanted to shove the responsibility onto Myst. After all, heâd been the one carrying it around since day one, while sheâd barely even wanted to look at it. But that was just her selfishness talking. In the end, if he didnât want to take it, forcing him to would just be stupid.
Myst gave her a small, bitter smile, catching her hesitation. âHow about we justââ
Before he could finish, Navi materialized in front of them, stumbling forward and collapsing to her knees. Mystâs mouth snapped shut, and he lunged toward her, but Navi pushed herself shakily upright before he could catch her. Her eyes darted wildly, like a storm behind her blue helmet.
âSo many people.â
Myst froze mid step, âWhat?â
Naviâs horn gave a sharp flash. âToo many questions. Too much emotion.â
She paused, shivering as if something cold had passed straight through her. âToo much.â
Cynthia forced herself to shove the talk with Myst into a corner of her mind labeled later and focused on Naviâs words instead. A helpless smile tugged at her lips as the meaning clicked.
âIâm guessing you got held up because everyone wanted to know where the other kids were?â
Navi tilted her head back, staring blankly at the ceiling. âI told. They kept asking... I left.â
Navi paused, before her entire demeanour changed. Her head snapped towards Myst, and a wide smile grew over her face. âMindtalk. I can do!â
Myst grinned slightly. âApparently, you have been able to do it for a while. We just never really noticed.â
Navi nodded seriously. âFeels natural. We tried force.â
Myst nodded, dragging two fingers over his chin. âI guess, that makes sense. We spent a lot of time on it, and I probably built it up to be this task, when it was really something that you just needed to do.â
Navi mirrored his nod. âRight!â
Myst expressions grew slightly complicated at her reply.
âWell, the training probably still probably helped.â Cynthia cut inn.
Myst paused slightly.
âWhat do you mean?â
For a second, she just took in his expression, then she sighed.
âJust because an Ability is natural doesnât mean it starts at peak potential,â Cynthia started. âThereâs always more room to grow. If I had to bet, all that training you did with Navi, the multitasking, the practice connecting to your mind, thatâs why she can broadcast her thoughts to both of us instead of just you. Honestly, it probably helped in other ways too. Like boosting her range, or making it easier for her to shape words we can actually understand. Most PokĂ©mon, when they first start with Telepathy, their words come out garbledâ
Myst blinked slightly and looked towards Navi.
The little psychic type nodded. âRegulating natural. Range not. Many speak notâŠâ her eyes lit up, âAlso! If focus, I can sense much larger area. Like this.â
Navi closed her eyes, and her horn, which had been glowing subtly since she started talking, lit up a bright orange. For a couple of seconds Myst just stared at the sight. Then, seeing Navi was still concentrating, he shrugged.
âI guess that makes sense.â
Cynthia rolled her eyes. âOf course, it makes sense. But, honestly, letâs talk about this later. Like, at a time when we arenât standing next to a fainted Krokorok, in the middle of tunnels that can collapse and crush us into pancakes any moment.â
Myst grinned slightly at her words.
âGood point. Navi, could yoââ
Navi eyes snapped open.
âChild in danger. Child scared!â she screamed.
Cynthia winced, and staggered on the spot, feeling Naviâs so far carefully controlled voice spike. Still, compared to Myst, she got off lightly.
He instantly fell to his knees. His trust and bond with Navi, leading him to have an easier time accepting her psychic influence, and by proxy causing her words to become even more damaging.
The feeling of Naviâs mind touching hers ripped away in an instant as the little Ralts type sensed her own mistake. She rushed over towards Myst, but before she could get close enough to try and helped, he dragged himself off the ground, one hand resting on his head.
âMaybe try for a little bit less loudness next time?â he said.
Navi stopped dead in her tracks, looking like she was torn between trying to help him out, and wanting to burst out crying.
Myst waved away her unsaid concern. âHonestly, itâs fine. You said something about a child in danger right?â
Cynthia watched Navi took a deep breath, then steeled herself, glancing down the tunnel leading deeper. Raising a single hand, she forcefully pointed at it, and slightly down.
âRalts. Ralts, ralts.â
I sensed a child. That way, it was scared.
Cynthia took a step forward. âA human one?â
Navi nodded firmly.
âRalts ralts ral.â
Like the ones we found.
Myst lightly slapped himself, then followed Naviâs eyes. âCan you show us the way?â
Navi didnât even speak, just started walking.
âŠ
Any other time, any other day, Cynthia would have been completely amazed. Honestly, even right now, her fingers trembled slightly at the sight in front of her.
âHoly fucking shit,â Myst breathed beside her.
A desert.
A desert under the mountain.
Even after Byron had mentioned the hidden biomes, some part of her had expected them to be small, little wonders of nature, scattered hotspots of concentrated type energy formed by accident. That would have made sense, at least. Some places could turn out like that, either because a powerful PokĂ©mon had died there, or because of a quirk in how the worldâs natural type energy moved.
But this?
If a single Pokémon had made this place, then it would have to be a god.
Because this wasnât a hotspot â it was a world.
Even squinting, even standing nearly ten meters above the sun-baked sand, she couldnât see where it ended. The horizon shimmered and blurred with heat ripples, impossibly vast, swallowing any sense of scale.
Some part of her really wanted to stand there forever, marvelling. Wanted to spend hours trading theories with Myst, gushing about how beautifully strange the world could be.
âCynthia. Any ideas?â Myst asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.
She forced herself to lower her gaze, focusing on the reason she couldnât afford to just stand and wonder. From their outpost above, the people and PokĂ©mon below looked small, but the tension was unmistakable, clinging to the air like a living thing.
On one side stood Byron, Johanna. Two of the missing kids, slightly further down from the sandune.
And on the other?
Well over twenty Krokorok, clustered tight against the rock wall. Their scales caught the harsh light, claws digging furrows in the hot sand. All of them seemed to orbit the true problem: a single Krookodile.
No, that wasnât quite right.
It wasnât just a Krookodile.
It was a single, absolutely massive, Krookodile.
Compared to its kin, it towered like a living fortress, its thick hide cracked and scarred from battles long past. Each breath seemed to rumble through the ground itself, a deep, shuddering exhale that made Cynthiaâs chest tighten. Even from a bad angle, sheâd estimate it stood at least four meters tall. Its massive tail twitched slowly, as it grinned with wild abandoned, seemingly delighting in its current situation.
âNot any good ones,â she admitted in a low voice, mind racing.
Even at this distance, the suffocating pressure rolling off the leader made her skin crawl. If it had just been her and Myst down there, thereâd be nothing they could do, nothing. A PokĂ©mon that strong, with that kind of mass? Even if Queenie landed a perfect shot, Cynthia had a horrible feeling her partner would tire out long before the Krookodile even staggered.
Still, they werenât alone.
She had absolute confidence Byron could handle it. Flanked by his Aggron and Lucario, both powerful enough to stand against something like that, sheâd bet on them winning at least seventy percent of the time. Maybe more.
And that was without even factoring in the rest of Byronâs team. Or Johannaâs.
So, in theory, it shouldnât be a problem.
In theory.
âHow likely is it that Roselia could keep that Krookodile from closing its hand with Grass Knot?â Myst asked.
Cynthia smiled bitterly. âZero. Honestly, it wouldnât even need to resist. Just shifting its grip would break the hold.â
âWell, that kind of sucks, doesnât it,â Myst muttered.
His eyes lingered on the Krookodileâs massive right hand.
And onâ
The boy trapped inside it.
Cynthia grimaced at the sight.
His limbs hung out, unmoving, and the only reason she even certain he was alive was how steady Navi looked. If the emotions she had felt from the boy had been snuffed out, Cynthia was certain she would react quite dramatically.
Even so, him not moving wasnât exactly a great sign.
âNavi, can you connect us to Byron?â Myst asked.
Cynthia snapped towards him, eyes widening.
That was a great idâ
âRalts.â She said, shaking her head.
No.
Then she hesitated, glancing down toward Byron and Johanna.
âRalts, Ralts.â
I could talk to him, if he lets me.
Myst looked at Cynthia, who was already nodding.
âPerfect. Try it.â
Under Naviâs blue helmet, her eyes began to glow subtly. Then, after a moment, they shifted into a pale grey.
Cynthia turned back just in time to catch Byron looking up, meeting their gaze with the faintest flicker of recognition.
âRalts ral,â Navi called softly from behind.
He can hear me.
âCan you ask if he has a plan?â Myst pressed.
Navi nodded, focusing again. Cynthia and Myst waited, tense and silent, while Navi stared into space. Then, without warning, she slumped a little.
âRalts.â She said.
He hoped you would have one.
Cynthia grimaced at that, and beside her, Myst did the same. They both turned at the same moment, eyes fixed once more on the massive Ground-Dark type.
âHow about we Byron start a fightââ Myst started.
Cynthia cut him off. âAnd what if the Krookodile closes its hand the second it sees a move?â
âRight.â
They fell silent, the seconds stretching uncomfortably, until Cynthia felt her eyes light up.
âWhat if Navi teleports right into its haââ
Myst shut it down as quickly as sheâd shut him down. âImpossible. Krookodile is a Dark type. Just the presence of a move would throw off her focus, never mind if it actually hit her. Way too dangerous. Unless we can be absolutely sure that we can stop it from closing its hand, we canât risk it.â
Cynthia gritted her teeth, feeling her hand drop to Queenieâs pokeball as she furiously tried to think.
In the end, while they had the element of surprise, they lacked the absolute power they would need to rescue the boy. Byron and Johanna had the power, but any move they made would be predictable.
What did that even leave?
Not enough power on one side.
Too predictable on the other.
They needed some way toâ
Oh.
She snapped towards Navi.
âNavi, can you connect to Johanna? And tell Byron to recall one of the PokĂ©mon, playing it off as him wanting to negotiate.â
Navi nodded, eyes flashing into a colour that seemed to be a fix of blue and grey.
Cynthia turned but almost jumped in place as Byron wasted no time.
âOKAY, YOU BEAUTIFUL BEAST, I AM READY TO BARGAIN!â he roared.
The Krookodile let out a harsh, barklike screech that almost sounded like a laugh. Its grin widened, eyes gleaming with interest.
âKrokodille!â
âFIRST, I WILL RETURN LUCARIO, TO SHOW I AM SERIOUS!â Byron continued, dramatically raising a hand and recalling Lucario to its PokĂ© Ball.
âTell Johanna to take the PokĂ© Ball,â Cynthia said hurriedly, not expecting Byron to move so quickly.
Byron went on, âI AM READY TO GIVE YOU WHATEVER YOU WANT, KROOKODILE, BUT WE NEED THE BOY RETURNED UNHARMED!â
Below, the ground rumbled as the Krookodile took a deliberate step forward.
âKrookodile,â it growled.
Without a PokĂ©mon to translate, Cynthia couldnât tell what it meant, but it didnât really matter.
âTell Johanna to get away, make enough distance that she canât be seen, then teleport her up here,â Cynthia added quickly.
Myst shot her an impressed look, and she allowed herself a tiny grin.
âStill,â he added, âhow is Johanna supposed to move? If she could, donât you think sheâd have tried to get reinforcements by now?â
Cynthia paused, eyes flicking between Byron, who nodded along as Aggron spoke to him, and Johanna.
She hadnât moved a muscle.
Flanked by her Umbreon, Midna, and her Glameow, she looked up at them, then glanced back down at the ground.
âFuck,â Cynthia muttered.
Myst winced. âYeah, we need toââ
A voice interrupted them.
âGreat idea, but I hope thatâs not the end of your plan.â
They both spun around, just in time to see Navi lifting her hands off Johanna and Midna.
âWhat,â they managed in perfect sync.
Then they turned to look back down at the desert floor, and watched Johanna⊠or rather, not Johanna, step closer to Byron.
Cynthia stared, then flicked her gaze to the Glameow.
Double Team.
It had to be⊠though, if it was, it was by far the most advanced application of one she had ever seen. Most people relied on a swarm of clones to hide imperfections, but this?
She couldnât tell it was a clone at all.
Usually, if you stared at a Double Team copy long enough, something would give it away, a lack of subtle movement, something not shifting right, a million small details that made a person alive.
But this one moved naturally.
Even when staring at it, trying to find a flaw, she couldnât.
âSassyâs playing me right now,â Johannaâs said, walking up and glancing down, âbut while she can hold Double Team forever, Byron isnât exactly a master negotiator. If this goes south, it will go south fast.â
Cynthia snapped her eyes away form the truly masterful display, and focused back on Johanna.
âRight. Well, I figured the problem is that anything we do with our PokĂ©mon is just too weak. But if we have one of Byronâs, plus the element of surpriseâŠâ
Johanna nodded.
âSolid logic, but whatâs the rest? Surprise is good, but we need a watertight plan, thereâs a kidâs life on the line.â
Cynthia paused, then gave a sheepish grin.
âWell, I sort of didnât get that far yet.â
Johanna stared at her for a few seconds, then let out a sigh.
âOkay. Letâs put our heads together, thenââ
âMidna knows Protect, right? She can expand it?â Myst cut inn suddenly.
Johanna paused mid-sentence. âWell, obviously. Protectâs practically mandatory when you get a little bit higher level, and extending it is the most important variation, since it lets your PokĂ©mon shield you too.â
âAnd it can take a hit from that Krookodile?â he continued.
Johanna stared at him, âOf course.â
Myst grinned.
âThen how about weââ
âŠ
Byron wasnât going to lie, today had been one shitty event after another.
Roark keeping him up half the night, then rolling straight into a morning meeting with that stuck-up mayor? Bad enough. Having to cancel the one enjoyable Gym battle heâd had scheduled all week because of a bunch of idiotic brats? Worse. But standing here, staring down some overgrown lizard from the very place heâd just been arguing about with the mayor?
If it werenât for how raw his throat felt from shouting, he might have started laughing.
What a shitshow.
âYou want me to fight the leader of the grassland territory?â he shouted back at the monster.
The Krookodile chittered in reply, then nodded its head.
Byron pursed his lips at that.
Obviously he couldnât just run off to fight some PokĂ©mon comparable to this Krookodile while leaving a kid dangling in its claws. That was flat-out impossible. Partly because there was no telling if this PokĂ©mon would keep its word, and partly because if he did and word got out, heâd be sacked from his Gym position before he could even make it home.
Though, not that the Krookodile needed to know that.
âI can do that,â he called back, âbut you need to tell me where to find it!â
The Krookodile paused at his agreement and Byron' grinned wide, baring his teeth like a Sharpedo.
Yeah, didnât expect that one, did you?
âWe start.â
The voice echoed through Byronâs head again, and he forced himself to stay still, even though every instinct screamed to push it out. Heâd nearly made that mistake once already, and he wasnât about to do it again now that he knew better.
Even so, just feeling that Ralts brushing against his mind pulled a sliver of focus away from the fight. Mystâs Buneary had already been a monster, far too strong for a third-badge challenger, but his Ralts?
âDistraction,â the voice in his head insisted, sounding as clear as the ones Elite Four level Telepaths had. âPlease.â
Byron shook his head in awe.
Heâd seen plenty of talented trainers over the years, each skilled in their own ways. Cynthia, for instance, she was easily the most complete trainer heâd ever seen at such an early stage, no question.
But Myst?
Myst took the prize when it came to type energy. His Bunearyâs flawless, precise moves, the incredible finesse Navi showed here, pulling off this level of coordinated Telepathy under pressureâŠ
If Byron had been on the fence about awarding Myst the second badge before, he sure as hell wasnât anymore. And that wasnât even factoring in the kidâs courage, jumping in without hesitation to help in a life-threatening situation.
If anybody wanted to argue, they could take it up with the League themselves as far as he was concerned.
He took a deep breath, then dramatically ripped off his helmet and hurled it into the sand at Krookodileâs feet.
âYOU SEE THIS HELMET?â he roared, pointing theatrically at where it landed in the sand.
Krookodile followed the gesture, its eyes narrowing. Byron opened his mouthâ
Do it now, he thought sharply.
BOOM!
He didnât even see the blur.
Lucario moved faster than a bullet, slamming into Krookodileâs wrist, forcing its claw backâ
But not forcing it open.
Krookodile howled, a furious bellow that rattled the earth, muscles bunching as it tried to crush the boy in its grip for Lucarioâs transgression of harming it.
CRACK!
A crystalline note rang out as a Protect shield snapped into place, freezing Krookodileâs claw half-closed, arcs of sputtering energy locking it open. For a fraction of a heartbeat, shock crossed the crocodileâs monstrous face.
Then black, roiling energy surged across both its arms, claws trembling with murderous power as it tried again.
Lucario didnât give it the chance.
His entire frame flashed white, Quick Attack exploding through his muscles as he blurred forward, so fast Byron could only track the trail he left in the sand. Lucario slipped under the shifting shadow of Krookodileâs claw, his fist blazing with molten orange lightâ
Close Combat.
A dozen impacts hammered in the space of a single breath, each one a seismic shockwave that rattled stones loose from the ceiling and made Byronâs teeth buzz. The sand itself seemed to ripple as Lucarioâs blows smashed again and again into Krookodileâs armored hide.
Krookodile roared, the dark energy coiled around its left clawâthe one holding the boyâshattering under the barrage. But it managed to stabilize the power on its right, drawing its arm back with terrifying, bone-shearing precision.
Then it struck â a punch so fast the air itself exploded.
BOOM!
A sonic boom split the cavern as the monsterâs fist came crashing down, moving so fast it should have been impossible to dodge.
Lucario dodged anyway.
It was as if the blue jackal had predicted the attack before it even began. He slipped away at the last instant, sliding across the dunes in a spray of grit. Krookodileâs punch slammed straight down, missing by a hairâs breadth, and buried itself nearly to the wrist in the ground, sending up a geyser of sand.
Lucario skidded to a stop and turned, then seeing the giantâs fist buried nearly to the wrist in sand, Byron could swear the jackal grinned.
He barked a laugh. âWell, it looks like the turn tables haveââ He paused, frowning. âI mean it looks like the taââ
Aggronâs roar cut him off.
The massive steel Pokémon surged forward, intercepting a follow-up swing that would have launched Lucario across the entire cavern. The impact rang like an iron bell, the stone behind the Krookodile spiderwebbing from the force as the two titans collided in a shower of dust and sparks.
For a moment, they looked evenly matched, even though Krookodile stood nearly three times Aggronâs size.
But sheer mass was its own kind of power.
Slowly, like an unstoppable avalanche, Krookodile began to grind Aggron backward, just the force from its claws tearing deep trenches through the sand as the energy from its Dark-type move slammed into Aggronâs plated flank.
Aggron staggered a step back, but the attack had caused Krookodile to overextend.
Lucario wasnât about to let the chance slip by. Even as the beast twisted, its jaws glowing with dark energy, preparing to counter with a devastating Crunch, it was simplyâ
Too late.
Lucarioâs fist smashed into its jaw in a flash of burning orange, cutting the Crunch short before it could even finish forming.
Krookodile staggered backward, its eyes going wide, shock flickering through them for just a fraction of a heartbeat, a look that almost seemed to ask how?
Then the murderous rage returned, burning away that moment of doubt.
âKrookodile!â it roared, voice echoing off the cavern walls.
At that moment, the Krokorok finally reacted, like a school of sharks scenting blood, surging forward, their beady eyes locked on what they saw as easy prey.
Him.
Byronâs hand shot toward another PokĂ© Ball, but before he could even move, something else flashed across the sand, intercepting the oncoming wave.
Cynthiaâs Gabite, the one sheâd used against Benkara, materialized in front of a Krokorok, its claws flashing white as it slashed a scythe-shaped blow straight into its jaw.
Right beside it, an all-too-familiar Buneary leapt into the fray, itâs face beaming with absolute delight. It smashed feet-first into another Krokorok, her foot glowing orange before she spun and landed a powerful axe kick into a second oneâs skull.
Byron couldnât help but grin.
âI guess that worked, huh.â Mystâs voice called out behind him.
Byron turned, spotting Cynthia, Johanna, and the kid theyâd rescued standing just downstream of the dune. The boy was already wrapped in a bone-crushing hug from his two friends, whoâd been hiding moments before.
He let his gaze sweep over the kid, noting how he clung back just as fiercely, which probably made him fine, before shifting to the Pokémon who had made this entire operation possible.
Mystâs shiny Ralts was leaning heavily against Johannaâs Umbreon, panting hard but still on her feet.
He shot the little psychic a thumbs-up.
âGood job, kid â you probably saved my gym!â he laughed, then turned back toward the fight that still mattered.
Or, well, the one that still looked fun.
After all, now that the hostage was safe, he could finally go all-out â show off a little. No way he was about to let a boy and his Ralts completely steal the spotlight.
âLucario! Leave this to Aggron and help the others!â he barked.
Lucario instantly broke away from its hit-and-run rhythm, pivoting with perfect discipline. Krookodile didnât hesitate, its massive fist igniting with a swirl of dark power as it lunged for Lucarioâs exposed flankâ
âAggron, Metal Brillance!â
Aggron let out a delighted, ear-splitting roar, throwing itself forward to tank the blow meant for Lucario. Its plated head took the full force of the attack, and its entire body flared with a gleaming, steely shine.
Iron Defense wrapping around its body like a second skin.
Even so, the pure force of the Dark-type attack still shoved the steely titan backwards with earth-shaking force.
And that?
That was a huge mistake.
As Krookodile stepped forward to press the advantage, Aggronâs body suddenly exploded with a dark gray light. Energy whipped off the steel titan in flowing, molten streams, a visible aura of raw, unstoppable power.
Krookodile froze, something in its instincts screaming danger â then tried to step back.
Aggron didnât let it.
With a bellow like a warhorn, the armored Pokémon barreled forward, transformed into a living freight train of steel-type energy.
Krookodileâs jaws ignited with black, hungry power as it tried to counter.
It was absolutely useless.
A blast of steel-type energy, burning with mirrored force, shattered straight through Krookodileâs Crunch like wet paper. Aggronâs charge slammed into Krookodileâs chest with cataclysmic force, a counterstrike so overwhelming it looked like an entire wall of silver light detonating.
It was like a bomb going off.
The shockwave from Aggronâs Custom Move rippled outward, rattling stones loose from the cavern walls and sending a shock of heat through the air. Krookodileâs massive body was lifted clean off the sand, slammed backward like a rag doll before it crashed into the cavern wall with a thunderous CRACK, burying its tail in a pile of shattered rock.
For a moment, everything went still and the Krokorok paused, the sight of their leader losing sending a rippling of panic through them
Then, with a low, animal snarl, the giant crocodile dragged itself free. Its scales were scorched, great cracks running along its armored belly, but the sheer rage burning in its eyes hadnât dulled one bit.
âKrookodile!â it bellowed, the cry echoing across the entire underground desert.
Sand boiled under its claws as it lunged forward, black energy swirling around its jaws again â a Crunch, but bigger, meaner, nearly feral in its fury.
Aggron braced itself, but the blow came in sideways, a feint, and Krookodileâs tail followed through with shocking speed, a brutal swipe that connected with Aggronâs flank and sent the steel giant stumbling.
Byron turned towards the other fight.
This one was over.
Aggron used no more than a split second to steady itself, then slammed its foot down with the weight of a mountain.
The sand spiderwebbed from the impact, and a surge of rock-type energy exploded outward. Behind Krookodile the wall itself seemed to come alive, rumbling like a beast as massive slabs of stone broke free and lunged forward, two enormous pillars closing in like a pair of crushing hands.
A modified Rock Slide reaching out.
Krookodile barely had time to react.
The first slab smashed into its side, driving the air from its lungs. The second slammed against its chest with a thunderous crack, pinning it with unstoppable force against the cavern wall. Stone ground together with a gut-deep roar as rocky fingers locked shut around Krookodile, trapping it in an unyielding prison.
Dark-type energy sparked and writhed against the stone, but the damage had taken its toll. Within seconds, the energy sputtered out, and the monsterâs eyes flickered, its rage giving way to a dull, glassy exhaustion.
Then, it was over. Krookodileâs head finally sagged, and it collapsed in defeat.
Byron didnât even glance back at it. His eyes were already on the other fight, the one wrapping up fast.
The Krokorok, leaderless and panicked, tried to rally around each other, but it was far too late.
On one side Gabite was a living cyclone of blue steel, its scythe-shaped claws tearing through their ranks with savage momentum. It didnât bother with precision, it didnât need to. Every Dragon Claw landed with crushing finality, sending Krokorok sprawling unconscious before they even hit the ground.
On the other side, Roselia moved like a shadow across the dunes, his ragged scarlet scarf trailing behind him. Thorny vines cracked out, snapping around Krokorok ankles and yanking them off-balance, sending them sprawling into the sand, tied up like gift-wrapped packages.
Perfect for Riolu to finish them off.
The little jackal blurred in, fists already gleaming with Force Palm. Each strike detonated with a sharp, focused blast of type energy, dropping most Krokorok in a single blow.
A Krokorok tried to flee toward the dunes, but Bunneary wasnât the forgiving type.
With a grin that was half challenge, half pure delight, she pounced forward, her ears blazing with cold, blue Ice-type energy.
The terrified Krokorok raised its arms to shield its face, and Bunneary crashed right through its guard, stomping it flat, then hammering down a few more times for good measure.
For a moment, she simply sat there on top of her fallen opponent, breathing hard, the blue glow of her ears sputtering and dying out.
Lucario, who had opted not to join the fight, sighed from Byronâs side as he watched her relentless enthusiasm.
Byron meanwhile, felt his mouth twitched up into a grin. He didnât need to ask; Bunneary had burned through every drop of type energy.
Tough little monster.
The fight ended quickly after that. Even without Aggron or Lucario lending a hand, the Krokorok barely resisted, their morale shattered the instant their leader fell.
Byron turned, sliding down the dune toward the group of trainers who had fought beside him.
âGood job,â he said with a broad grin, nodding toward them all.
Then he let his eyes slide to the three kids standing nervously behind them, their clothes torn, faces pale, but alive.
His grin vanished, replaced by a flinty glare. âAnd as for you threeâŠâ
âŠ
Cynthia sat down on a slab of stone, watching as even more cars arrived, disgorging even more reporters with cameras flashing.
Tired.
That was how she felt.
The day had been too long. Meeting a fan, watching Myst battle, chasing after kids, finding them, talking to Myst about that damn egg, and then fighting a rampaging Krookodile?
Too long.
Too much.
She sighed and ran a hand over Queenieâs scales, letting the familiar coolness of her oldest partner steady her.
Eventually, Myst wandered over, looking about as bad as she felt, if not worse. Sometime during the initial improvised press conference, heâd gone from fully alert to looking like death warmed overâand she couldnât blame him for it. Honestly, sheâd felt the same. While Byron and Johanna had taken the lead with the reporters, theyâd still needed to at least stand around.
âŠWell, if nothing else, it was good press.
For once.
âYou think I should start focusing on more basic training?â Myst asked out of nowhere, as he lowered himself onto the only other free rock.
Cynthia shot him a glare.
Myst laughed tiredly. âSorry.â
She sighed. âWe can talk about it later.â
Her eyes flicked toward Johanna, still surrounded by reporters, microphones in her face. Honestly, that was probably the best part of all this. While Cynthia and Myst would get some attention, she had a feeling the front pages would splash Johannaâs name the biggest, followed by Byron, with hers and Mystâs in fine print somewhere behind.
Actually⊠would she mind not being the focus?
After all, it was good press.
For a second she considered if she might wake up tomorrow regretting avoiding the reporters, then shrugged inwardly. If she did, that was tomorrow Cynthiaâs problem.
âYou really did good today.â Byronâs voice broke in, and Cynthia looked up to see the Gym Leader standing before them.
Byron gave them both a crooked smile, then looked straight at Myst.
âEspecially your Ralts, Myst. She was a lifesaver. Without her Teleport and Telepathy, this couldâve gone way worse. You should be proud of how far youâve brought her.â
Myst leaned back on the rock, balancing on both hands, looking awkward. âYeah, Navi was incredible. But donât give me too much praise, Iâm pretty sure most of her skill with Telepathy comes from her Ability.â
Byron opened his mouth, then paused as he took in Mystâs expression.
He furrowed his brow. âYou know,â he began, âI met a trainer once from some island region. Real laid-back guy, had this big orangutan-like PokĂ©mon â Oranguru, I think he called it. We had a battle, and the whole time he didnât give a single command. Just stood there, arms crossed, while I tried to figure out how the hell his PokĂ©mon seemed to come up with complex strategies. Afterward, I asked him about it, of course, and do you know what he told me?â
Myst tilted his head. âOne of Oranguruâs Abilities is Telepathy?â
Byron nodded. âRight. But hereâs the thing, he explained the whole story, because he liked to brag. He told me most folks back home with Oranguru barely use Telepathy to its fullest. Because as an Ability, it only does one thing.â
He paused dramatically, making sure Myst was listening.
âIt makes psychic communication easier to regulate. Thatâs it. Nothing more.â
He pointed a finger straight at Myst.
âConnecting to another mind, speaking to more than one person, maintaining a link over a distance? Thatâs all training. That takes skill with type energy, and youâve clearly taught her control beyond what most people manage. Donât undersell that. Thereâs more than one way to reach the pinnacle, and not everyone needs to focus on fundamentals like me or your girl,â he finished, jerking a thumb at Cynthia.
Myst looked away, thoughtful, as if trying to process that.
Byron let out a small sigh at his silence.
âWell, think it over,â he said, then reached into his pocket and flicked something toward Myst.
The small metal badge landed neatly in Mystâs lap.
Myst blinked down at it, confusion flashing across his face. âHuh? What? We didnât even finish our battle, though?â
Byron shrugged. âYou were fighting a level above what you shouldâve. And anyway, we get some leeway for handing out badges. And, if you ask me, what you pulled off today?â Byron grinned. âMore than qualified.â
Then he jerked a thumb toward the ridge, where another wave of reporters was pouring over the dunes. âAnyway, Iâd recommend clearing out before this place turns into a fortress. Iâll try to keep them off you for a bit, but I ainât exactly the best with their type.â
He turned to go, but Myst scrambled up after him.
Cynthia watched in a daze as Myst reached him, and then asked him something too quiet for her to catch. Byron looked back, raising a brow. Then, after a moment, he nodded, giving Myst a solid pat on the arm before walking off.
Myst returned, and Cynthia raised an eyebrow, her voice edged with curiosity. âWhat did you ask him?â
Myst shrugged. âFor an extra match.â
She blinked. âWhy?â Her eyes narrowed, suspicion bubbling up. âWait, you donât think you have to beat him to deserve the badge, do you? Myst, if youââ
He cut her off with a tired laugh. âNo, nothing like that. I just wanted to fight his Lairon, a simple one on one. I spent forever coming up with strategies for that kind of Steel-type, and Iâd like to see if theyâd work.â
Cynthia stared for a long second, then sighed. âYou know thatâll delay us by at least a day or two, right?â
Myst gave her an apologetic smile. âYeah, sorry. But, I figured weâd stay anyway. Johannaâs Contest is in two days, and⊠well, after everything, itâd feel kind of wrong not to watch.â
Cynthia paused at that, but still nodded subtly, âYeah, I guess you are right.â
Myst glanced towards Johanna, and Cynthia followed his gaze, finding her still surrounded by a small crowd of reporters, positively glowing in the spotlight. Her smile softened. âYou think sheâd want to travel with us after?â
Mystâs grin turned teasing. âWhy do I get the feeling you just want her along for her cooking?â
At that, Cynthiaâs stomach let out a loud, ill-timed growl, and heat rushed to her cheeks.
Myst tried, and failed, to hold in a laugh, his shoulders shaking. âIâll take that as a yes.â
Cynthia buried her face in her hands. âShut up.â
âŠ.
AN:
This chapter was delayed due to 3 reasons.
1. I got sick.
2. Itâs long.
3. My flight got moved to 8 hours later, and I couldnât get back the bag I sent which contained my computer, so I didnât get to type a word yesterdayâŠ
I do hope you enjoyed it though.
Comments
Cc
Awesome :)
Cyborgwing
The wait was worth it. Absolute peak!
